How did you get your first (paid) job?

[Thomas Regin]

Now that we've covered what you guys charge for your music it could be fun to know how your careers started etc.. Did you do a lot of pro bono work before going pro? Did you pick up the phone and called half the advertising agencies and movie production companies in your country?..

Basically, how did it all start!? :)


Tom..

[nikolas]

I made my website and advertised on a couple of forums, I was already long a member.

3-4 people contactged me, and I chose the 2...

Before that I had (and still am) done some freeware games, and other interesting projects.

[Thomas Regin]

I made my website and advertised on a couple of forums, I was already long a member.

3-4 people contactged me, and I chose the 2...

Before that I had (and still am) done some freeware games, and other interesting projects.

Hey Nikolas. Thanks for the info..

How did you hook up with the freeware game-developers?

Another question that pops into my head is: When/how did you realize that your compositions were good enough to be sold?

Tom.

[johncarter]

i also advertised on a few short-movies/directors students forums . I also made advertising in a few cinema schools in my country ( france ) , i got many many projects. Yet i think i advertised myself a little too early... i wasnt fully ready... consequently i couldn't finish most of the projects , so now i choose very carefully the projects i'm working on .

[Thomas Regin]

i also advertised on a few short-movies/directors students forums . I also made advertising in a few cinema schools in my country ( france ) , i got many many projects. Yet i think i advertised myself a little too early... i wasnt fully ready... consequently i couldn't finish most of the projects , so now i choose very carefully the projects i'm working on .

John,

Well.. I can easily imagine that. And you learned a valuable lesson there! Hopefully you didn't upset too many people/burned too many bridges!

However, your approach seems to have been right on the money! How did you advertise? By hanging notes on their bulletin boards including CDs with your work or just a link to your website?

Tom..

[johncarter]

John,

Well.. I can easily imagine that. And you learned a valuable lesson there! Hopefully you didn't upset too many people/burned too many bridges!

However, your approach seems to have been right on the money! How did you advertise? By hanging notes on their bulletin boards including CDs with your work or just a link to your website?

Tom..


Yeah don't worry i didn't upset too many people, because in fact in my advertising i didn't guarantee anything, because i proposed to work for free

I simply made a 10 minutes medley i posted, and i proposed to work for FREE . I'm sorry for people who thinks i'm ruining the market :D , but now thanks to this advertising i have some nice contacts and very interesting projects to work on

[Andrew Sigler]

Yeah don't worry i didn't upset too many people, because in fact in my advertising i didn't guarantee anything, because i proposed to work for free

I simply made a 10 minutes medley i posted, and i proposed to work for FREE . I'm sorry for people who thinks i'm ruining the market :D , but now thanks to this advertising i have some nice contacts and very interesting projects to work on

Are you being paid for your projects now?

-Andyman

[White Noise]

Went to this girl's party, got talking to an actor guy - I say, "So are you an Actor that's acting at the moment"? He goes, "yeah, I just got a part in a British supernatural thriller". I go, "cool, who's producing it?" He goes "the producer's name", I go, "cool can I get his number?" He gives it to me.

I call it. Blag it on the phone. Talk to the Producer. We get on quite well. Write some music. They like it but not enough. I write some more music - nail it. They love it. I get a meeting. They ask me to write some music to picture, which I do. They go crazy - it's brilliant. They phone me up and ask me to do the gig...

I do the gig. Film get's released internationally on DVD but sinks without trace which was a shame cause it had some nice moments. Still, they have a couple of copies in Virgin Megastore in Oxford St.

Replicating early success is very difficult. I begin to realise what a fluke the first film was. Write music for lots of corporates and student shorts. Get agent for adverts and games. Start working on better shorts. Get asked to work on another feature - terrible money, clueless Director, I do the unthinkable and walk. The Director has burned through 3 composers, 4 including me so I don't feel terrible. Notable Oscar nominated Composer mentions me to friend, who phones me up to ask me to write Library music which I do...

More research and careful study helps me select another feature project to pitch for. I phone the production office and the girl gives me the Director's mobile number. Feeling fearless after losing out on another project, I give it a call...

[johncarter]

Are you being paid for your projects now?

-Andyman

For 1 project i'm paid, 2 other free projects but very interesting for my C.V. and on the artistic side

[awpmusic]

I did projects for free - had library music published - then I did the Music for the Media Course - (http://www.musicforthemedia.com/mftmv2/the_course/overview.asp) which boosted confidence 1000% - yep 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 per cent - and things never looked back.

[SFX Trader]

AWP, what do you think of that course for someone already making a living composing. I write for broadcast spots (:30s) usually and have done some short films, but I feel like I might be able to broaden my horizons a bit with a course like that. Thanks.

-S

[shnurgle]

I wrote the "Hippy Hippy Shakes" for the Cocktail soundtrack. After that s!@#$, I couldn' DODGE offers, SOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!

[awpmusic]

AWP, what do you think of that course for someone already making a living composing. I write for broadcast spots (:30s) usually and have done some short films, but I feel like I might be able to broaden my horizons a bit with a course like that. Thanks.

-S
The course covers lots of writing situations so I think you could still benefit. Why not ring Guy Michelmore or George and have a chat - they are both very approachable and extremely helpful.

[Ragingkirb]

While in college, one of my friends listened to my music and liked it a lot. His dad is an indie film director and was looking for a composer to score his next film, so my friend recommended me.

most of the time you jus gotta get lucky :cool: